The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-06-02
AT COLUMBIA.
STAFF Onlcer's RecolleetIOns OF The Occupation oil
the City.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In J. s. Bos-
worth's article on the Burning of Columbia"
i notice he gives the Fourth Division of the
Seventeenth Corps the credit of breaking the
rebel line at Rivers and BroXton's Bridges by
crossing at the latter point and thanking the
enemy out of what was supposed TO be an i'm
pregnable position" The comrade says:
Arriving at the salxahatchie Swamp the enemy
made stand at the two bridges crossing the same.
known "a Broxtons and Rivers Bridges aud the
Third Brigade. Fourth Division, under Gen. w. w.
Belknap, was ordered 10 cross the swamp, the Off
GERS and men wading for more than two hours
through some 80 streams OF water, bog and fen,
stumbling over the cypress knees which abounded,
at last making Judgment on the other side. thus
hanking " hat was supposed TO be an impregnable
position aud causing the retreat Of the entire
rebel army opposed TO US.
1t would appear to the casual reader that
there was no engagements Rivers Bridge, and
that by simply wading across the Salkahatchie
Swamp the entire rebel line of Notifications
was carried, which they had taken so much
pains to construct aud boosted would stop
Sherman's army. The writer, who was mem
Der of Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower staff at that
time has a very distinct remembrance that
there was sharp fighting as well as wadng be-
fore Rivers Bridge, with its formidable earth
works, was captured. Gen. Mower commanded
the First Division of the Seventeenth Corps
during that campaign, and he was never known
10 sit down with his command in front of an
enemy and wait for some more enterprising
command TO capture or flank the foe. That
was not the way he gained the sobriquet of
Fighting Joe Mower" He had already made
two unsuccessful attempts 10 cross the Salka-
hatchie near PocotaligO and failed, because
with the means at his disposal he could not
get foothold for his troops on the other side
of the swamp.
The First Division had the advance the day
we reached Rivers Bridge, and as Gen. Mower
had a habit of keeping abreast of his skirmish-
line he was among the first TO arrive at the
road leading TO the bridge. He had been in
formed that the bank Of the stream was high en-
the side we were approaching, aud had ordered
the artillery Ia Michigan battery 10 follow the
skirmishers The road leading into the swamp
was very narrow, and after following il some
distance, il turned abruptly to the left and
brought rs in full view of the Confederate
works which commanded the bridge. IL was a
swamp the whole distance, the bank being on
the opposite side. The citizen had deceived US.
The enemy was wide-awake, and Immediately
sent his compliments in the shape of shell,
which burst in the group but fortunately in
jured no one, although il was creditable to the
gunner's precision. The next party that at
tempted 20 reconnoiter the position was not so
Fortunate Gen. Wager Swayne being struck on
the knee by "a fragment of shell, thereby los
ing his limb.
strong skrmish-line was pushed into the
swamp on both sides of the causeway that
night, and early the next morning the whole
division was actively engaged in endeavoring
to force passage. Trees were felled and build
ings in the vicinity torn down 10 make foot
bridges for the troops. In the meantime q
heavy skirmish fire was kept up on both sides
Ii being found impossible TO complete the bridge
before night the men were ordered 10 take 10
the water, and just before shutdown a line was
formed, charge ordered and the works carried
in gallant style. A charge was also made by
an Ohio regiment of Gen. Spragues Brigade
over the causeway in front, which was brave
attempt, but resulted in repulsc and severe
losS.-W. b. A., Captain, Co. &, 32d Wis, and
Picket Officer, First Division, Seventeenth
Corps, Milwaukee, Wis.